Forever Regret
by Darkestshadow Brightestlight
Summary: A young girl is seen at many instances with the homunculi. But just who is she? Her name is Regret, one of the Six Sorrows of the world, and the only embodied one. Yet, that's only half of who she is. Follow her as she fights against the homuncli, from within. This is my first published story people, so don't be too hard. Creative criticism and beta offers welcome. Enjoy the story.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I have seen more than anyone should see. I have heard what no one should have to hear. I have tasted the forbidden fruit. I truly wish for death.

Is there more to life? One would hope so. But in all my sixteen years, I have found only sorrow.

I lay here now, bleeding out. Still silent, not a word from my chapped lips. I truly live up to my name.

I regret everything, everything I remember at least. I regret taking in the stone, running from my father, finding and helping the old lady that turned out to be Envy, and most of all; I regret joining this family. Regret, that is the name they gave me. My title if you must. I'd hate it if it weren't true. I regret the deaths in the Ishvalan War, even though I was merely a child when it happened. I sometimes regret my father making a deal with the Dwarf in the Flask, although if he hadn't I never would have been born.

You might think that my wish shall be granted, for I am bleeding out. But alas, no. I am cursed to survive, always survive.

I long for the warm embrace of death, people say I'm mad to wish it upon myself. For they fear it. They fear death, the only true sign of mortality. I will someday die, it's not as if I am truly immortal. When my stone is used up, when the souls within it have disappeared, I will cease to exist. That day cannot come soon enough, though I have time to make things right.

My brothers, they must hate our father. He left them, left them without an explanation or reason, and it's all my fault. My sickness, that incurable sickness, was why he left them. He left them, taking me with him to find a cure. They must hate him for that, they should hate me. I doubt they remember, I was never really part of their lives. My sickness kept me locked in my room, and Father in his study trying to find what did not exist. I wish he'd of just let me die, I don't deserve a second chance at life. I ran from Father, I ran from him for no reason.

Days ago I lay bleeding out to a false death, an empty promise that was never even considered. Now, I am well again. My wounds have healed to a faint scar that could have happened years ago. I disappeared from the hospital I was taken to, they will forget about me soon enough. They always do. I continue my journey to find my brothers, to watch over them in secret. The others speak of them with hate, that alone makes me smile. They are alive, they are fighting. They fight the same battle as I, it is a good feeling to know I'm not completely alone. I regret that others must fight, I wish to be the only sacrifice. The only one whose blood is spilled in this secret war. The Homunculus are gaining power, they rise through the the ranks of this country's corrupt military. One is already Furur, I hope they realize soon. I fight from the inside, and each battle won is too small to count. I cannot risk losing my cover, it could mean the death of those I watch over. My brothers, my father, the people walking the street. I watch over them all, hoping that my efforts will not be in vain.

My story is long, and a bit confusing. I already regret any discomfort it may cause to you. I don't know where to start. The beginning is too far back, and would take forever to explain. Honestly, I'm not sure where the beginning is. The day I swallowed the stone is as good a place as any, so I'll start there.

It all started with a mistake made long ago….

(End Chapter)


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One- Beginnings**

It all started with a mistake long ago, but that's not really my beginning. For me, it started when I ran away.

I ran from my father for no real reason. I was well taken care of, loved, nearly spoiled really. I guess I felt guilty. I knew of my two younger brothers, who lived with our mother. My father had left them to find a cure to my sickness, a sickness that had no cure. His search was fruitless, as I had know it would be. From a young age I had known I had no chance of living a normal life. Even if I lived through the worst of it, I would be kept on bed rest my whole life. I was too sick for everything else. My father had left my mother and brothers behind to find a way to free me from my insufferable illness. I was taken along. He was afraid of finding a cure and coming back, only to find me dead.

I ran the day I heard of my mother's death. She had become sick a few years after we left, yet we did not return. It was not my sickness, but just as deadly. I heard of her death from my twin, Edward. He was begging Father to come home to him and Alphonse, I had no mention in that letter. His wish was in vain, I ran from Father later that day. He followed me.

I did not run because he refused to go home to them, I ran because he made me swallow the stone.

The Philosopher's Stone, a stone made of souls harvested in the Ishvalan War. He had stolen it from the Dwarf in the Jar. Not really stolen, just taken without asking. The Dwarf wanted him to take it. If he hadn't, it would have been impossible to get. I've seen the guards, the little slip up that got the stone to me was no true slip up.

I ran after the pain stopped. The pain of souls clinging desperately to my life force, to my now black and twisted soul. I ran continuously for three days and three nights, not stopping for anything. When I did stop, it was in a small backwater town that everyone knew everyone in. I met Envy there. The shape-shifter had taken the form of an elderly woman who'd recently passed away. Her relatives didn't even notice. He tricked me, he recognised the stone inside me and tricked me to try and get it back. By falling down on the trail into the woods and asking for my help, he appealed to my longing to better myself. My longing to no longer regret.

He pulled me in from there. Promising me a way to right my past, protection for my brothers, and a way to make a better world. They were all lies, I know that now. They only wanted me for my alchemy. I was the only one who could do as they wanted. I learned of the truth soon enough, but I didn't leave. I realized that the only way to stop regretting was to stop them, to right the wrongs they led me to do.

I could not just leave. I am not stupid, I knew that if I left I would be hunted down and dragged back. So I watched and waited. I was able to look after my brothers from afar, but never could I be seen.

Maybe that's why I donned the mask, to make it so I would never be seen by the ones I wish to protect. Not that it matters, they do not even remember me. How could they? We were young, so young, when we were separated. Yet I somehow know their faces, their ambitions, their fears. It is because I regret. I regret leaving without saying goodbye, not coming back the moment I could, and not being there when they needed me most.

Never Forget, Forever Regret. They are the words I've come to live by. The words burned into my flesh. I burned them there, because I needed the reminder of why I have my name.

I was there that day, when Edward became a State Alchemist. I was so proud of him, but I regretted not being there, by his side, to lift some of the burden off of his shoulders. To see him with a metal arm and leg, and Alphonse in that armor, it made me regret being born. The one thing I had never before regretted.

Yet I did not raise a finger to help them. I stood to the side, next to Wrath, and did nothing to lift their burden. I regret the decision, but what could I have done? They did not know me. They did not trust me. I was an unknown and my knowledge of them would have hurt more than it would have helped.

So I stayed away. Doing the little I could to help them under Wrath's watchful eye. I sent them to the Flame Alchemist's command, because I knew he would help them find the truth of the truth.

I watched and waited and waited and watched, never letting my brothers even suspect my existence. While the Sins planned, I waited, regretting every missed chance I'd not seen until too late.

And then I saw it. The perfect opening. One not even Pride or the Dwarf would suspect me of taking. Hughes.

(End Chapter)


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two- Work**

Hughes did not trust me. But he wasn't really supposed to. I was an unknown, masked teenager with obvious training of some kind. Not to mention I was feeding him information on an enemy few even knew the existence of, I would have thought him a fool had he simply taken me at my word. But he took my information regardless, though with a grain of salt.

I did my best to learn everything about my brothers through him, not that he gave away much. For a seemingly airheaded man he was quite adept at seeing even the subtlest of prying. A thing I could respect him for. I saved him from death many times in his searches into the homunculi, covering his tracks as if it was one of my many and varied passing interests. It would not protect him forever, but hopefully long enough that he could figure out the plan.

The Dwarf decided that I needed a job. So he made me pose as King Bradley's, Wrath's, baby-sitter. Meaning I had to spend hours on end with Pride, who poses as his son. Oh what fun! Not.

I absolutly hate that job, and not just because I have to look after a brat. I have to wear makeup because of how famous my brothers are getting. I would regret having a twin, but that was some divine power's fault. Regretting would do nothing but confuse people.

I watch as my brothers become more and more well known, even Pride has started to take an interest in them. The manipulative little brat was dropping hints about using them in some sort of plan. I can't say for certain if he actually will, he likes mind games. It wasn't surprising when he cornered them in the library and tricked them into coming to visit. I don't think they even noticed me that day.

My brothers have unearthed more of the truth. I regret that I cannot protect them from it. Still, I am proud. I see how far they've come on their journey, they're almost to the center of our government's corruption. I don't know if I'll be there to see them win, and I regret not having the confidence to say I will be. If only to myself.

I have a feeling that Pride has caught on to my falsities, but he has yet to say anything. I fear he is keeping quiet to use them against either me or my brothers. But it may be that he simply has no solid proof. Not that it matters, he's still making life difficult for me, with his sudden interest in actually getting his hands dirty. My brothers have been more observant as of late as well, they've almost spotted me a few times. I guess that comes with getting used to a war, even if it's an invisible one.

(End Chapter)

I've answered all the reviews from people with accounts already, but I've gotten one from a guest.

Sunshine: Yes this is Brotherhood. It may have a few mess ups with the timeline, but that's because it's been awhile sense I've watched it and I'm writing off the top of my head.

Thank you everyone who's reviewed, followed, and added my story to their favorites. It has, as you can see, spurred me into finishing the chapter. I look forward to seeing what you have to say about this chapter.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three- Siblings**

My idiot brothers have succeeded in driving me crazy. With Edward getting himself swallowed by Gluttony and Alphonce willingly going to the Dwarf. Not to mention the whole mess they've gotten into with the Ishvalan State Alchemist killer Scar. I've be worried and just a plain out mess.

Watching Gluttony get split open from the inside was gross. I almost regretted his death, he was okay for a Sin. The key word was almost. I didn't bother to join into the fight that followed, just sat on my rafter and watched in boredom. Just sitting up there doing nothing to help made me feel that annoying twinge of regret, but I still didn't move to help. No matter what my heart told me, I could not help my brothers in sight of the Sins or the Dwarf, they would kill all three of us and then we'd never win.

That foreign friend of my brothers, Ling I think, became the new Greed. It was weird, seeing someone else go through that. When I swallowed the stone, all of the Sins were in existence. In Ling's case, not so much. My transformation made me slightly bipolar, bringing my regrets to the forefront of my mind. For Ling, lets just say he got a sudden case of dissociative identity disorder. It did not look fun.

The new Greed is an asshat. There's just no nice way to put it. Though the old Greed wasn't much better, he at least wasn't around to bug me. I'm at the point of not caring that my brothers are somewhat friends with his alter ego Ling, who I personally prefer being around, and just shooting him between the eyes. It won't do much, but it will make me feel better.

It's getting harder to keep an eye on my idiot brothers, they've be traveling around a lot. Not that they didn't before, but I'm stuck with Pride and can't follow them any more.

Pride decided that he needed to do something to help out with the Dwarf's plan. That or he's just bored. Either way he dragged me off to ambush my brothers. He brought that Kimberly creep too. Something about the Crimson Alchemist just rubs me the wrong way. It might be the fact that he's a psychopath with no regard for human life, or the fact that he keeps trying to get into my pants. Their both on the same level of creepdom in my book.

Pride got his butt kicked by Al, then escaped his solid rock cell by using morse code to call Kimberly. Well, in all actuality, he was probably calling me. But he's a little brat and I really don't like him. The one good thing about being the only homunculus with alchemy, people try not to question you. Heck, I can pull the "trump card" excuse and I don't have to do anything to help along their plans. Though I do know them, hiding in the rafters has its perks. What the Dwarf doesn't know won't kill him, or maybe it will. I am planning on betraying him after all.

Learning of Hughes' death threw a bit of a wrench into my plans. Learning that Envy was the one who killed him just pissed me off. I kind of regret not being in a position to blow the bitch to kingdom come, but doing so would be counter productive. With Hughes gone I had to go to the next in line on my list of people I could inform of the homunculi plans: Mustang. My brothers would hate me if they ever found out about me and learned of my communication with him. Or at least Ed would, I don't think Al would care. He'd probably be stuck on the fact that he has a big sister and no one ever told him. Still, war is coming. Someone has to hear of the enemy's plans.

(End Chapter)


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- War**

The day the world went to war started like any other. The sun rose, the birds sang, children played. Only a select few knew what was about to happen. It was sad really, that we couldn't send out much warning, but we had no choice but to work with what we had.

Mustang had me posted in the shadows, just watching, no interference. He didn't trust me, he didn't need too. I had worked a good portion of my life throwing secretly throwing monkey wrenches into the homunculi's carefully laid plans, causing chaos from the shadows is what I do best. Mustang didn't have to trust me for me to have his back. I'll do anything to mess up the strategies of those oh so lovely "cousins" of mine. I enjoy using other people and supposedly random events to piss them off a little too much. It's a shame that my other side would get regretful if I used those pranks on my brothers, I'd like to see them squirm a bit for all the trouble they gave me with their running off without really planning anything.

The war that was fought secretly for years would be decided with one battle. There would be no second chances. My brothers against the homunculi, only one group would survive. For the first time ever, I fought beside my little brothers. They caught glimpses of me, but hiding from them no longer mattered. I still wore my bone white mask, but my blonde hair was loose and, for once, without its standard brown dye. I regret not being able to tell my brothers, right then, how proud I was of them.

The battle lasted forever but finished in a second, at least that's how it felt. I can remember every single moment in startling detail, but for the life of me I can't recall how long each event took. It's all a blur, a freakishly clear blur, but a blur all the same.

I was there, just off to the side, when Edward opened the Gate again. I saw a flash of light and he suddenly had his arm back. I still don't know what he gave. After the battle there was another flash, and Al had his body back. Everyone knew what he'd given up that time, his alchemy.

I watched them leave. Just standing back in the shadows, letting my brothers walk away from me. It's kind of funny, how so many years ago, our roles were reversed. I almost called out to them, almost. I just couldn't do that to them, not after they'd been through so much. I'd let them be, for a few years at least, maybe forever, before I entered their lives and gave them someone else to worry about.

Yes, yes, it's short. I'm going to post another in a minute or two. I just need to finish up.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4- Backstory**

When I went to leave, Mustang put a hand on my shoulder. "Where are you going, you promised answers." I nodded mutely and followed him when he walked towards one of the buildings. He led me to an office and motioned for me to sit down. I did so and looked at him expectantly. "Talk, and tell the truth, I'll know if you're lying." Mustang ordered. I smiled, and reached towards my mask, "Do know sir, that everything I speak in this room is true. I have a feeling I'd regret lying." I had the mask undone and was lowering it slowly as I spoke. "You know me as Regret, and that is my name. But it wasn't always, and it seems that I must use my birth name once more." The mask was fully off now, but my head was lowered and my eyes were closed, my golden blonde hair a curtain obscuring any and all view of my face. "My parents named me Irma*, it means universal women, and they expected me,along with my twin, to do great things. It's a shame that I developed an incurable sickness just weeks after I entered the world. I was kept separate from my little brother, my twin, and to this day he does not even know my name. And when my youngest brother was born, I only learned of it from the crying late at night. It wasn't that my parents didn't love me, they did, but they feared that I was not long in this world and if I got close to my brothers my death would cause irreversible trauma. My father was an alchemist, a good one, and he would not give up on finding a cure for me. Because of this he was distant to my brothers and often locked himself into his study. When I was seven he took me to look for a cure away from home. I got my first look at my brothers that night. We looked so similar, my twin and I. Same hair, same eyes, and nearly identical faces. My baby brother was hanging onto his sleeve. Neither even noticed I was there in Father's arms. Up until two years two years ago, that was the only look I'd ever had of my brothers.

" A few years after my father left with me, my mother fell ill with her own sickness. He didn't tell me. I found out through a letter from my brothers, a letter begging him to come home. He wouldn't. Several months later, she died. I didn't get to say goodbye. I ran away that night, but not because of my mother's death, my father had forced something down my throat, claiming that it would do what not medicine had been able to. I ran as far as my still frail body would carry me. I didn't get far, but I did get far enough to be out of my father's sight for a while. I met an old woman that night, she'd fallen and I offered to help her. She was not what she seemed to be. That old woman was Envy, wearing the skin of a sweet grandmother only hours dead. Envy saw something in me, potential maybe, and took me to the Dwarf. That was when I learned the truth of the item I swallowed. It was a Stone. A Philosopher's Stone. In a desperate effort to cure me, my father had forced me to become a homunculus. I hated him so much that day, and when he came for me, I refused to leave. I became part of that messed up "family" and took on a new name, a title. The Sins were already born and personified, so I became a Sorrow. There were six to choose from. Betrayal, Heartbreak, Loss, Regret, Despair, and Klexos**. I already knew which one I was, it had been bubbling in my gut from the moment I read the letter speaking of my mother's death. Regret, I was regret. And in that moment, it was all I could feel.

"For awhile I obeyed without question, following orders and believing I was only regretting my actions because it was my nature. Then I met Greed. Not Greed-Ling, but the original Greed. He opened my eyes. He was different from the other Sins, giving into his nature but not becoming a puppet. I kind of looked up to him. Yeah, he was a pervert and a jerk, but he fully lived that false life of his. After meeting him I took another look at what we were doing, I was disgusted. I kind of developed bipolar after that, one side of me regretted every step I took and word I spoke, but the other didn't care and did whatever the hell it wanted. It was confusing at first, but I've learned to live with it. Discovering what we homunculi were doing was wrong led me to subtly sabotage plans and trip up the others to mess up their work. It was fun."

I stopped to take a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't risk contacting anyone in the military until just recently, I didn't know who was in on the corruption and who wasn't. I reached out as soon as I found someone to trust. The man I choose was Hughes. He knew me only as R. I never spoke aloud to him and always wore a mask, not this one. I would not have his death on my conscience. I covered his tracks as much as I could, playing off on my own interests in the subject. It was his bad luck to stumble onto something big while I was out of the area. Envy killed him, and I could not take revenge. I liked that man. But I had to pass information on to someone, I could not let this country die. So I look into who Hughes trusted, and I found you. You know the rest," I finished. Mustang absorbed all I had said. "So you're a homunculus," he stated, "interesting." I shrugged and watched him through my hair.

We sat in silence for awhile, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally Mustang gave in and asked his question, "You didn't trust the military, because you knew who was incharge. So why, start now?" I smiled, long and slow, lifting my head and revealing my face, "I trusted in you because my brothers trusted in you, Mustang. Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Irma, Irma Elric, I'm Edward's twin sister."

Mustang's face was hilarious as he fell out of his chair.

*Irma: spelled i-r-m-a if your computer's font makes capital i's look like lowercase l's.

**Klexos: the art of dwelling in the past. Credit goes to The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, it's on YouTube. Very interesting, I recommend checking it out.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- Reunion**

I revealed myself to my brothers only a year after the war. I didn't want to, but Mustang insisted. He was letting his ego grow again, and becoming the new Furur didn't help at all. After my big reveal I was immediately drafted into the military, placed in specialized team that answers only to Mustang. That task force was why I was standing outside of a large house that I'd only seen pictures of. I took another glance at the sign, silently willing it to change. Nope, it still read _Rockbell Mechanics,_ there was no getting out of this one. I gathered up all my courage, stepped forwards, and knocked.

"I'm sorry, but you're saying that Furur Mustang is calling in the Elric brothers?" Winry, my younger twin's love interest, asked skeptically. "Yes, though calling is not the word I'd use. It's more along the lines of demanding." I replied, taking a sip of the tea I'd been given. "And why didn't he send Hawkeye? Someone we know and trust?" she accused. I sighed, placing my tea down, "Because he's a bastard that doesn't respect my wishes to avoid the Elric brothers for the next year or two and thinks that as soon as they know my life story they won't be able to say no to doing his bidding. I personally think that those hotheads will start yelling, at both me and each other, and not let me get a word in edgewise." Winry raised an eyebrow, "Oh, how do you figure?" I smiled a somewhat bitter smile, "Because I know my little brothers, and they don't know me."

The chaos that statement brought was truly epic.

"WHAT!" I let out an exasperated sigh and massaged my forehead, "Edward, let me put this in the simplest way I can. We. Are. Twins. To elaborate: I'm six and a half minutes older than you and was very sick during the years of our childhood I spent at home. Father originally left to find a cure for me. In desperation he made me swallow a Philosopher's stone stolen from the Dwarf, the man known to other homunculi Father. Are we clear so far?" Ed took a deep breath, and started shouting again. "WHA-" I threw a nearby screwdriver at his head to make him shut up. Then I turned my attention to Al. "Do you at least get it?" I asked hopefully. He nodded slowly, "I think so. I always felt like someone was watching out for us when we were traveling, now I know why." I smiled at him, a beaming smile that I hadn't really used since I was a child watching my idiot brothers playing in the garden. He smiled back, a bit unsure but genuine. "And why should we listen to you and Colonel Bastard?" Ed growled, rubbing the new bump on his head tenderly. I rolled my eyes, "A few reasons: 1) the adequately named Bastard is the Furur now, 2) he threatened to send Armstrong next if you refuse, and finally 3) I've found a way to give you back your alchemy." All heads snapped towards me at my admittance. "How!?" three voices exclaimed in question.

"So you're basically going to do the forbidden and transmute yourself to get rid of the Stone and get Ed his alchemy back? No, it's not worth it!" Al cried, attaching himself to my arm. I gave him a bewildered look, "You barely know me, and it's my choice. I don't want the Stone, I never did, this is my chance to get rid of it a live a normal life. Besides, I want to." Winry spoke up, "What about your illness? You might get sick again, and you said that there wasn't a cure." "Thanks for the concern, but even if I do get sick again, it won't be anywhere near as bad as it was. At the very most I'll be bedridden for a few days, my immune system is a lot stronger now than it was when I was a baby." Ed looked me in the eye, seemingly searching my soul, "We can't talk you out of this, can we?" I gave him a half smile, "No, I'll just do it in secret if you refuse to let me." He sighed, "Figures, that's what I would do too."

I'm now only a few chapters away from being finished with this story, but no to worry, I plan on writing a squeal. I actually had the idea for the sequel first, but I had to write out the backstory first. And I need an excuse for Ed to have alchemy, seeing as it takes place after the FMA timeline. But anyway, new chapter. YAY!


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- Transmutation**

"Are you sure you want to do this, any of this, Irma?" I sighed, "For the 713th time, yes. I'm sure I want to perform the transmutation, yes I want to do it before we head to Central, and yes I'm going to take the State Alchemist exam when we get there. And Ed, don't give me crap about doing what you did at fourteen." Ed huffed and Al giggled. By now we were in an empty clearing miles into the forest and well away from civilians, the perfect place to do a human transmutation.

About an hour later the circle was drawn and the materials for a human transmutation were laid out. "Step back boys, I'm going to start." The brothers hurriedly took several steps back, watching their sister closely as she began.

The transmutation was simple, which, considering what it does, is kind of scary. I simply closed my eyes and placed my hands on the circle. When I looked up I was in a blank white room with a large door, gate, on one end. I walked towards it, reaching out to touch it almost as if I was in a trance. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Girly," and echoing voice commented. I tilted my head, looking at the figure that had appeared out of the corner of my eye. "So," I stated softly, "you are Truth. Do you know why I've come?" The creature's maniac grin only widened. "I wish to exchange the Stone in my body for my brother's alchemy gate. It seems fair to me, but by being here I have entered the domain of God. You may take anything of your own choosing for that offence." I stopped speaking to take a breath, "Well Truth, do we have a deal?" The grin only widened more, if that was even possible (as the psycho grin had already been stretching from ear to ear), and it finally replied, "Oh yes, little homunculus, we have a deal." With his words as the key, the gate opened. Black hands reached out and pulled me inside. I didn't fight it, just let my eyes fall to half-mast and absorbed the knowledge around me the best I could. Nothing could have prepared me for the pain.

"-ma. Irma. Irma. Come on, Irma, wake up." I groaned, striking out at the annoying voice that woke me from the dark abyss of sleep. "Owch! Irma, was that really necessary?" Ed whined. "Yes, live with it Shorty," I muttered, nearly back to sleep already. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FLEA SIZED MIDGET THAT YOU CAN STOMP OUT OF EXISTENCE!" Ed roared. A rock that had been near my hand smacked him in the head at the same time as one of Winry wrenches. Now mostly awake, due to Ed's insistent screaming, I processed what he'd said and quickly formed a response, "I didn't say anything, but I'm left wondering just how your mind works, to be able to insult yourself so easily." There was a split second of silence before my words to effect. Alphonce was the first to crack, snorting into his hands to muffle or disguise the sound. Then Winry, who started giggling uncontrollably. And finally Ed, who let out a rather embarrassing, for him, squeal of "Whaaaa-" before screaming at me. Not sure what he said, I was too busy watching his face turn different colors.

"Okay people, let's get a grip," I eventually gasped out, having fallen into my own bout of laughter when Edward's face had turned and interesting shade of prune. Ed grumbled but didn't respond. Al nodded, turning away for a second before lowering his hand and Winry took a moment to catch her breath. "So, did it work?" Alphonce asked. "No idea, Ed's going to have to try and transmute to find out. But more importantly, when exactly Winry show up?" Winry snorted, "About the time that the idiots started to freak out and scream because you started having a seizure." I nodded, "So about fifteen minutes in." "Yeah, how'd you know?" "Because I that's when I felt the most pain. I was awake for maybe a second and got a pretty good look at the sun's position." I replied. Al got us back on track, "Ed, can you transmute?" With a gulp and a reluctantly hopeful look in his eyes, Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the ground.

"What-" I coughed, "exactly were you trying to make?" In front of me was a large, misshapen blob of something. It looked like what a small child might have made out of clay, then throw down in a fit of somesort. In other words; weird and awkward. Ed rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I'm not really sure, I didn't think it would actually work." I sighed, then reached out and smacked him. "You, Edward Elric, are a complete and utter idiot."

Okay, I have two more chapters planned, then it's the sequel. Next up, I'm making Irma into and alchemist. Yay! I'm also reinstating Ed as Fullmetal, and maybe putting Al in the exam too. He does have a body now...


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Tests**

"You gave Ed his alchemy back." Mustang stated, face blank. "Yes." "You have a talent for alchemy and didn't tell me." Again, stated with a blank face. "Yes." "One question. Why?" I meet the Furur's gaze head on, "Please specify which instance, sir." Mustang blew out a puff of air in exasperation, "I don't know, either. Preferably both." I gave a nod as if that response told me all the secrets in the world. "I gave Edward back his alchemy because he's my brother, and also because he's totally useless without it. I didn't tell you that I have alchemy because you wouldn't have let me give Ed his alchemy back. You, being the total and utter bastard that you are, would have held it over his head for a while and insisted Alphonce into the army while he couldn't do anything to stop you." Mustang let his head fall onto his desk with a resounding 'thunk', "Just get out." I stood and made my way to the door. "Oh, one more thing," I stopped and turned back to Mustang, waiting for his next words, "I expect you to be taking the next State Alchemist Exam, all of you." I smiled, the slow smile that sends shivers up one's spine, "Of course sir, I wouldn't dare miss it."

Three days later I stood at attention with my brothers in front of a row of judges. "The practical portion of this year's State Alchemist Exam will now begin! Transmute using the objects around you, impress us." I stepped forward, eyes closed, blocking out the scrambling of feet, the scrapping of chalk, and the buzz of transmutation. I stopped in the exact center of the arena. I clapped my hands once, the echoing ring stealing the judges' attentions from the other hopefuls. I felt my brothers move to my sides, flanking me. They each clapped once, the tell of a circle-less transmutation, and, as one, we placed our hands on the ground in front of us.

"That. Was. Fucking. Awesome!" Ed yelled, punching the air in excitement. Al nodded in agreement. "It looked cool, but other than that it was useless. Flashy, but totally useless." I commented, standing back to admire our handy work.

"I can not believe you three!" Mustang growled, "You made a freaking statute declaring me a bastard, right in the middle of the courtyard!" "It's not like we've kept our opinions of you quiet, we've been yelling about you being a bastard for years now." I commented idly, examining my fingernails. "That's not my point, you three disrespected me, quite publicly, and I already agreed to instate all of you as State Alchemists if you passed the written exam. It makes me look like a doormat!" Mustang whined. "No… it makes you look like you can look past your ego for talented alchemists," I drawled. "Not to mention that instating us after that little stunt proves us _wrong_ in the eyes of the public…" Ed trailed off, remembering my explanation of exactly how we would get away with is unscathed. Mustang let out a groan when he saw Al nodding along enthusiastically, "One of you planned this. Not Edward, he's not smart enough," "HEY!" "or Al, he's too soft hearted." Al shrugged at the observation, deming it true enough. "Irma! Why?!" Mustang continued in a whiny tone. "Because I hate you," I stated bluntly, "now can we get back on track? We, as in all three of us, have just passed the State Alchemist Exam. That means we get titles." Mustang blinked, realizing that he, in fact, hadn't given them their codenames yet. "Yes, right. Ahem, Edward Elric, you are reinstated as the Fullmetal Alchemist. Alphonse Elric, you are now known as the Armored Alchemist. And Irma Elric, from now on, you shall be known as…"

Second to last chapter! Yay! Just a warning, I won't be posting chapter 9 until I have the first chapter of the sequel ready to go up right after. Thanks for all the support, though I would have liked some more Reviews... Oh well! Love you guys and hope you all enjoy the story.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9- Mission**

"Irma Elric, from now on, you shall be known as the Forgotten Alchemist." Mustang announced. "Oh gee, just what I've always wanted, to be reminded that my family forgot about me every time you talk to me. Thanks." I drawled sarcastically, not actually caring about the name, but wanting to make the bastard squirm a little. "No, I didn't mean it like that," the Furur scrambled in panic, "I only meant that you were overlooked in acknowledgement!" Ed snickered into his hand, "Nice save, Furur Bastard." "Relax. I won't kill you, this time. Just don't do it again," I commented, staring him dead in the eye. "I c-can ch-change it…" Mustang trailed off. I grinned, "Nah, you already have the paperwork done. But really, have a little empathy. Any other girl probably would kill you for being such an unsympathetic bastard."

Two weeks after I became the Forgotten Alchemist, we were called back into Furur Mustang's office for a mission. Or so we thought.

"**What!"** my brothers screamed in unison. Though I refrained from joining in, my thought were along the same lines. "Let me get the facts straight. You, in your oh-so-infinite-wisdom, have decided that we're going to school." I deadpanned, "Because Ling suggested it." "Yes," Mustang admitted, "but I don't think you'll mind all that much, not if it's this school." "And what school would that be?" Ed bit out, looking ready to either snap Mustang's neck or scream again. "It seems to be in another dimension, Ling mentioned a fog covered rift that was traveled through in some old Xing fairytales, and that he thinks he's found it." "And your point is…" I waved my hand in the universal signal of continue, just wanting this over with. "We want to send the three of you to learn of their culture and judge their threat level." "Uh-huh, now what's the catch." Mustang sweatdropped, not having expected me to catch on so quickly. "You'll need to…" The last bit was mumbled just too low to hear. "What was that?" Ed questioned. "Yes, please do repeat," I asked, developing a twitch in my eye. "You'll need to learnanotherlanguage!" "What did he say?" Al asked the room, not understanding Mustang's garbled and rushed speech." I sighed, having understood from constant exposure to an excited Mei, "He said that we'll need to learn another language. My guess is that the 'dimensional rift' carries us to another country and not the dimensions equivalent of ours. Which makes sense, seeing as we have to sail to get there." "Alright, fine." Ed huffed, "What are the details of the mission?" Mustang smiled, happy to get his way, "You'll be traveling with Ling Yao and Mei Chang to an island called Japan and attending a school for the rich and privileged known as Ouran Academy…"

And that was the final chapter. Yeah... it's short, only two paragraphs that can be counted as paragraphs. *sweatdrop* It was more of an introductory to the sequel though, I only left a cliff hanger last time so it would actually be read. Believe it or not, when I first got the idea, this was the first scene I thought out. Then I realized I'd have to include a little back story on Irma and give a reason for Ed to have alchemy again. The sequel is call Never Forget. No real significance in the title unless you want to think of it as my way of hinting that Irma won't be slipping into the background completely. In all honesty, I thought it looked cute. Forever Regret, Never Forget. I kind of want that on a tattoo... Well enough of my ramblings, hope you enjoyed the story.


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